The Biden administration “made it clear” that Israel would suffer “consequences” for rejecting outline, says Israeli official.
By World Israel News Staff
President Joe Biden’s speech proposing a three-phase ceasefire agreement that would end the Israel-Hamas wear took Israeli officials by surprise, and Biden administration officials are threatening “consequences” should Israel not accept the agreement, according to reports.
“The Americans looked for and found a move that would shake up the situation,” a senior Israeli official told Hebrew-language outlet Channel 12 News.
“They forced all the decision-makers in Israel into a space of deliberation and made sure to make it clear – if you refuse – you will suffer the consequences. No matter what Hamas’ answer will be, this speech will reshape the rules of the game.”
The same official told the outlet that the Biden administration only informed the Israeli government three hours before the speech was made, catching them off guard.
A senior White House official told Channel 12 that “the purpose of the speech was to speak directly to Israelis and Hamas. and to prevent the possibility that one of the parties would try to distort the details of the outline.”
Biden’s proposal is similar to one Israel offered Hamas weeks ago, which provided a framework for the release of Israeli hostages held captive for nearly eight months in the Strip for thousands of Palestinian terrorists from Israeli prisons.
However, Biden’s proposal does not require Hamas to be ousted from power in the Strip – which is one of Israel’s stated aims of the war.
“It’s not a good deal but we dearly want the hostages released,” Ophir Falk, a senior adviser to Netanyahu, told the British Sunday Times.
“There are a lot of details to be worked out and that includes there will not be a permanent ceasefire until all our objectives are met.”
He added that he believed that Biden’s announcement was “a political speech for whatever reasons.”